Two former Marines, who just happen to be Super Bowl opponents, reconnected after 20 years for a life-changing procedure.
Philadelphia Eagles fan Billy Welsh met Kansas City Chiefs fan John Gladwell when they served in the U.S. Marines. Although they didn’t speak to one another for years after leaving the service, they stayed connected through Facebook, according to the “Today” show.
In 2019, Welsh, who was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease, posted on Facebook he needed a kidney donation.
“I posted on Facebook ‘Anyone got a spare kidney I can get? Mine are junk,'” he said.
Gladwell saw the post and decided to get tested. The results came back and he was a 99% match.
He shared his reasoning behind why he decided to give Welsh his kidney.
“You never leave a brother behind. Marines are a band of brothers. You don’t leave someone behind,” he said.
He then flew to Philadelphia where he and Welsh underwent a 10-hour kidney transplant surgery in Jefferson’s Nicoletti Transplant Center. Welsh said that before getting the kidney he was “literally days away from dialysis.”
Two former Marines who served together, a Chiefs #ChiefsKingdom fan and an Eagles #FlyEaglesFly fan, share their incredible story of reconnecting for a life-changing kidney transplant and now going to the #SuperBowl together. pic.twitter.com/hFTjMYCmK5
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) February 8, 2023
Welsh shared he now has “a whole new lease on life” and revealed that he was worried if he didn’t get a kidney, his son “would grow up without a father.”
“John Gladwell is my hero,” Welsh said.
Welsh and Gladwell’s touching story made its way to the Eagles President Don Smolenski, who reached out to Chiefs President Mark Donovan. Smolenski said Donovan “was absolutely on board,” to come together to get the pair to the Super Bowl.
“I was speechless,” Welsh said. “I didn’t know what to say. … I’m at a loss for words.”
Gladwell also shared his reaction after receiving the news through video call.
“They’re like, ‘You’re going to the Super Bowl.’ I’m like, ‘I am?’” he recalled.
In a statement to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Smolenski said being able to bring Welsh and Gladwell together for the Super Bowl is “very humbling and gratifying.”
“The opportunity to bring these two guys together, their two teams playing on the biggest stage in sports, it’s very, very humbling and gratifying,” he said.